Boom
by AlyCat3
Summary: OneShot, Funerals are the epitome of sad occasions, especially the kind where your boss makes an appearance. Warnings for character death and unexpected ending.


Disclaimer: I have, nor own, anything to do with Marvel Studios other than to admire and sometimes use there Marvelous work.

Credit: Dannylionthe1st my very awesome beta who made this Da Boom. Sorry, I'm done now.

* * *

"Brucy!" Tony crowed as I made my entrance into his home away from home. The lab was in utter shambles, papers strewn everywhere, three different cars half apart, and something was on a burner in the back corner, bubbling up a storm and leaving an acrid smell through most of the tower. Which was the main reason I had been volunteered to come down here and check on the resident genius, to find out why he hadn't made an appearance all week.

"Tony" I replied slowly, now taking in his appearance as he turned to look at me. His normally groomed appearance was in complete disarray. Black bags were under his eyes, and coffee stains were more evident than usual on his teeth as he smiled widely at me.

"I'm glad you came down here. I've been working on something all week that's going to knock your socks off," he exclaimed wildly, twisting on his heel to walk towards the bubbling substance.

"That's great Tony, but do you mind telling me why this is more important than personal hygiene?" I hedged, frowning as he didn't turn around nor even seem to acknowledge me as he continued.

"So, like I told Nikey, there's just got to be an easier way to take out terrorist cells than infiltration. The whole damn process takes so long, and can be ineffective if you get caught too early. Not that Clint or Nat would ever get caught, but-" he continued in this rambling like manner for so long, that I started to slowly count in my head how often he took breaks in between.

I was up to one inhalation after every six sentences when something caught my eye. Looking around again, I caught sight of one of his little bots wheeling around. Dummy was making its way towards the flames with an almost curious nature. "Um, Tony."

"So I said to him, look, you can't just go around sprinkling oregano wherever-"

The little device crept right up to the blue white flames underneath the concoction of whatever, and I couldn't help but notice, was that a fire hydrant on the end of it?

"-and she was all like, 'but Twilight never even stood a chance! It just wasn't even a fair-"

"Tony" I called a little louder as a flashing light appeared on top of it and a whirring noise started up from the device. Stark was still going a mile a minute. "Then he said 'no way man. Pinocchio had a way better gimmick-"

"Anthony Stark!" I screamed as loud as I could, even using his full name for the first time to try and draw his attention. He finally stopped and turned to look at me, while I gestured over to the possibly lethal combination over there and asked, "Please tell me nothing in here is explosive."

The fire extinguisher caught, and my best friend only had enough time to mutter. "Oh, Sh-" before an explosion wrenched threw the whole place. Leaving pain and fire and fear in its place. All of those sensations died away in a matter of seconds to be replaced by the now familiar tugging of anger, raw strength, and a resonating roar.

AAA

Thor was the last to arrive, dressed in all black as the occasion called for and a flash of lightning that never ceased to amaze any of his friends. He paused for a moment and examined his surroundings in awe. The Tower, which his friends normally resided in, seemed to have taken on a darker appearance, though perhaps that was his own thoughts pushed into the landscape for the loss they had received.

He walked along the walkway which his friend once used to remove his iron suit from his person. He gazed down at it for a while before moving on into the Avengers Tower. Most of the group was already assembled. Natasha and Clint where whispering quietly to each other in the kitchen, but had looked up and around at his entrance, stopping the communication between the two.

Steve stood in the middle of the room, shifting his eyes from spot to spot. It seemed as if this were the first time he had laid eyes on the place. "Does anyone else feel like we shouldn't be holding this here of all places?" he asked the room at large.

They all exchanged heavy looks before Clint spoke up quietly, "It's what he wants."

The room lapsed back into silence before Thor asked, "Is Lady Pepper making an appearance?"

"No" Natasha answered this time, leaning against a chair with a rather bored look on her face. "She has enough to deal with on her plate, and after something like this." She shook her head slowly from side to side and continued more softly. "She always said he'd go out like this."

"Take care of your words," Thor frowned at his female friend. "His memory shall be honored. Despite his ending."

"So when's he getting here?" Steve asked, and no one had to ask what he meant.

"Guy's been depressed since he found out. I thought, seeing as he knew the line of work he did, it wouldn't come as such a shock but, well..." Clint finished lamely.

"Well we can't start without him," Steve stated calmly. "I'm going to see if he's downstairs." He stopped once he saw a figure making its way upstairs slowly. The figure was stooped over something, hunched in on itself in a display of guilt. Steve moved forward wearily but could find no words of comfort as Bruce entered, carrying a small shoe box cradled close to his chest. "It was the biggest piece of him we could find," he whispered quietly.

He made his way to the center of the room and rested the box on the coffee table, taking one step back before collapsing on the cushions behind him. He looked physically exhausted, though this came as no surprise to the others. It had been less than twenty-four hours since he'd transformed into The Hulk, and made a desperate attempt at saving a life. Managing to shield one, sadly, it had been in vain for the other.

The others waited in silence until Clint spoke up, "Where's-". He froze once a resounding ding rang threw out the room, and the elevator lift revealed none other than Director Nick Fury.

"Director," Clint, Steve, and Natasha all spoke as one, taking up more respectful stances in front of their boss. Thor waved at him but continued his gaze out of the wide windows, and Bruce scowled. The first emotion he'd showed in quite some time. "What are you doing here? This is private."

Fury rolled his one visible eye and replied calmly, "I'm aware of what has happened here recently, but I have an assignment for you all."

"_Happened?" _Bruce demanded, his face twisting with controlled rage. "You could show a little more respect."

The director looked at the doctor coldly before continuing without interruption "There's been some strange sightings in Nevada and I'd like all of you to go down there to make sure it isn't another false alarm. Maybe the presence of the Avengers will throw off these whack jobs." He paused for a moment, looking around the room before stating. "Where's Stark? I told you all to be ready when I arrived."

Every member of the team exchanged weary looks before Thor spoke up. "Director, did you not hear of the tragedy that occurred mere hours ago? Tis why we are all taking-"

"Oh, he heard about it Goldilocks. Not that I'd expect him to care." Tony snapped as he made his presence known by storming up the stairs. Still soot covered and a bit more pale than usual.

Fury ignored this and cut to the chase. "Now that you're all present, I'd like to continue-"

"Yeah, well you can continue some other time. We're holding a funeral and you can tell those aliens to wait." Tony cut across him, meeting him eye for eyes.

Fury breathed in deeply from his nose in an attempt to calm himself, before finally deciding this could all go much quicker if he just let Stark play his game then argue with him. "You have one hour. Then you are all to be suited up and waiting on the roof to bored the helicarrier. That is all." Fury turned on his shiny black heels and went back to the elevator, taking his leave.

The billionaire scowled after him then looked up to the ceiling, demanding, "JARVIS, why didn't you inform me of his arrival."

The British accent replied back swiftly, "Your commands from earlier this morning, sir, were to belay all messages, arrivals, telephone calls, or anything of the sort in preparation for today. Shall I make a note to extract Director Fury from future commands?"

"No, you smartass," Tony snapped before looking around at his assembled team. Sighing deeply, he then ran a hand through his skyward hair and spoke up. "Might as well get this over with now that we're on a time limit here."

He stepped forward. Placing his hand on the box, he closed his eyes and in a deep voice one might use in prayer began. "He was a member of this time, and beloved to us all. He was always there when you least expected him to be, and always there when you needed him. He helped us all at one point or another. Fetching Clint his arrows, reloading Natasha's guns when she was at target practice. Teaching Steve how to use the blender. Showing Thor where the bathroom was no matter how many times he asked. Always faithful no matter what Banner and I could come up with to test. You even saved my life once. Forever in my memory as my first, though now a bitter regret that you couldn't live long enough to see your new prototype. Long live the best helper I ever had, Dummy."

* * *

Hahahaha, come on, admit you weren't expecting that.

Yeah, I know what you guys are thinking. Another one shot? I have a reason for these, I'm actually working on an extended Avengers project, two actually one more than the other, and am posting all of these as sort of test subjects to make sure I'm doing this movie justice. So any and all feedback would be the absolute best thing ever! Thank you to all who read this.

P.s. The only reason I didn't mention Rhodey is because he didn't make an appearance in the Avengers movie, otherwise I would have thrown in a comment about him to.


End file.
